Announcements and statements from the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc. The SCV was founded in 1896 to honor and preserve the history and heritage of Confederate soldiers, sailors and marines.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Synopsis of March 28 GEC Meeting

News for SCV members

Compatriots,

The following is a synopsis of the meeting of the General Executive Council held at Elm Spring, Columbia, Tennessee on Saturday March 28, 2009. The meeting began at 8:30 AM.

1.Meeting began with an opening prayer, pledge and salute and the reading of The Charge

2.Executive Director reported on the efforts to secure a new logo bearing credit card for use by the members of the SCV. Securing a new affinity credit card with an SCV logo does not look promising at this point.

3.Adjutant in Chief Mark Simpson reported on:

A. Adoption of the GEC Minutes from the meeting at Elm Springs on 10/04/08 and the teleconference of 12/16/08. Minutes adopted.

B. Update of the Membership Renewal System (MRS). A number of Divisions willadopt the MRS for the fiscal year 2009-2010, including HQ Camp No. 584.Motion to support the decision of the CiC and Ex Dir for the MRS to be used for GHQ Camp # 584 approved unanimously.

CIC McMichael requests start up loans up to $500.00 be provided to Divisions to assist in the implementation of the MRS with the stipulation that the loan be repaid to GHQ within in 18 months - Motion adopted.

C. The Budget and Finance Committee Report: Six requests for funds were reviewed but none were approved. The B and F Committee recognizes the value and merit of the requests, however, the recommendation is to have a moratorium on grants due to the losses in the SCV's investments. All requests can be resubmitted for consideration at the next GEC meeting Past

CIC Wilson recommended that a review of the investment guidelines be conducted.

Budget and Finance Committee report was adopted.

4.The Time and Place Committee reported their recommendation to the GEC for hosting the 2012 Reunion. There were four bids to host the 2012 Convention . The Time and Place Committee recommended the bid of Camp No. 33 of Murfreesboro, TN contingent upon the Camp firming up some items presented in their bid. The General Executive Council voted to accept the bid with this condition.

5.Chief of Heritage Defense Frank Earnest reported on the McClarin Case in Tennessee. This case involves a Mississippi Compatriot, who has a state (MS) issued SCV license plate on his car, that worked in Tennessee and was discharged from his job because of the license plate. The General Executive Council had voted funds for this case at the October meeting and since then the Mississippi Division and The Tennessee Division have provided funds. It was determined at the GEC meeting that more information is needed before any additional action should be taken by the GEC relative to this case.

6.Lt. Commander in Chief Michael Givens reported the following:

A. Membership as of Friday, March 27 is 28,611. This includes 48 Real Sons, 3410 Life Members and there are 332 Cadets.

B. The scv.org web page will in the future have information on it in a variety of languages.

C. The SCV logo race car is scheduled to run at Rockingham, NC on Sunday April 19.

Details will be posted has the event approaches.

D. The traveling display / kiosk that camps can borrow from GHQ for use at festival, gun shows and other public events is being used and was not present at GHQ as a camp has it deployed.

E. The initiative to bring in former members was discussed and it so far has retrieved 553 members who had dropped their membership. This initiative has also raised over 19K in dues and donations from these members who have now reinstated their membership in the SCV. Lists of former members from the various divisions that did NOT renew are available so the divisions can attempt to contact these men if they choose to do so.

7.The GEC voted to donate the statue of Jefferson Davis, his son and Jim Limber to Beauvoir based on the written request from the Board of Directors of Beauvoir. It will be located in a place of honor at the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library which will open in (approximately) 2011. The previous Presidential Library at Beauvoir, opened in 1998, was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Donations are needed to finalize payment for the statue.

8.Harris Connect made a presentation concerning publishing a new version of the SCV membership directory. The last membership directory was published in 2006 by Harris Connect. The new edition will be a Sesquicentennial Edition and can include up to 2 photos submitted by each SCV member who chooses to contribute his information to be used in the directory. Members will also be able to submit the names of up to five (5) ancestors for inclusion. The GEC voted to work with Harris Connect to publish the new directory. More will be announced on this project as the information becomes available.

9.Loy Mauch, Chairman of the Hot Springs Reunion Committee, gave a presentation / progress report on the upcoming reunion this summer. Those hosting reunions are required to give in person reports to the GEC on a yearly basis.

10. The GEC reviewed the latest information / offer concerning the purchase of a tract of land adjacent to the land where Elm Springs is situated. The discussion with the land owner is continuing.

11.Past Commander in Chief Chris Sullivan gave a report on the status of the Mt. Jackson Cemetery. Past CIC Sullivan has been investigating what might be done at Mt. Jackson Cemetery to fulfill the request of Coiner Rosen, who had left a large donation to the SCV. The GEC voted to ask the trustees to seek a clear title and the GEC would then provide funds for the maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery .

12.South Carolina Division Commander Randy Burbage and Compatriot Trip Wilson gave a presentation on the proposed SCV JROTC Award. The South Carolina Division has been giving this award and requested it be sanctioned by the GEC to be issued to JROTC members outside of South Carolina. Currently the SCV is not officially listed in the JROTC awards manual as an approved provider of awards. The SCV becoming an officially recognized awarding organization will be perused. Commander Burbage stated that the administration of this award in South Carolina had been under the supervision of Compatriot "Trip" Wilson, a retired Master Chief Petty Officer. The expansion of this award beyond South Carolina will also be administered by Compatriot Wilson. The GEC agreed to this proposal.

13. Past Commander in Chief Ron Wilson and Denne Sweeney presented a proposal for the SCV to hire an experienced man in the area of fund raising dinners and auctions similar to those conducted by the NRA and Ducks Unlimited. This matter is undergoing further investigation to determine if it will be viable given the IRS restrictions on raffles.

14.Past CIC Sweeney made a proposal concerning modifications to the way the SCV selects the sites for and operates national Reunions. The proposal would establish a partnership between the General Organization and local camp(s) to organize Reunions. In order to implement the changes necessary to put this new approach into effect, amendments to the Constitution and Standing Orders would be required. The GEC was favorable to looking further at implementing Past Commander Sweeney's proposal.

15. ANV Commander Brag Bowling gave a report on the S. D. Lee Institute's recent meeting in Charleston, SC. He reported that 260 attended the seminar, the largest group to date. The next S. D. Lee Institute will be held at the Music City Sheraton in Nashville, TN on February 26 and 27, 2010. In 2011 it will return to Charleston, SC.

16.The General Executive Council approved the design for the certificates for the General Jo Shelby Award, The David O. Dodd Award and the War Service recognition.

17.The GEC voted that it would consider licensing the use of the Sesquicentennial Logo if and when a proposal is made to the SCV.

18.The GEC voted to create the SCV Sesquicentennial Society. This will be an honorary organization for those who wish to show an extra level of support for the Sesquicentennial. The cost of membership will be $200.00. Those that join the society will receive a certificate and medal recognizing their membership. The Society will accept members beginning in the near future but no one may join after December 31, 2015.

19.A new web page specifically designed for recruiting will be created and will have the web address 1800MYDIXIE.COM.